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Facts About Falls
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- Falls are the leading cause of injury deaths among individuals who are over 65 years of age.
- By 2030, the population of individuals who are age 65 years of age or older will double. By 2050, the population of individuals who are 85 years of age or older will quadruple.
- In 2000, falls among elderly individuals accounted for 10,200 deaths and 1,600,000 emergency room visits.
- 60% of fall-related deaths occur among individuals who are 75 years of age or older.
- 25% of elderly persons who sustain a hip fracture die within one year.
- Hospital admissions for hip fractures among the elderly have increased from 231,000 admissions in 1988 to 332,000 in 1999. The number of hip fractures in expected to exceed 500,000 by 2040.
- Annually, more than 64,000 individuals who are over 65 years of age sustain a traumatic brain injury as a result of a fall.
- Annually, 40,000 individuals who are over 65 years of age visit the emergency departments with traumatic brain injuries suffered as a result of a fall, of which, 16,000 of these individuals are hospitalized, and 4,000 of these individuals die.
- The rate of fall-induced traumatic brain injuries for individuals who are 80 years of age or older increased by 60 percent from 1989 to 1998.
- The estimated total cost for non-fatal traumatic brain injury-related hospitalizations for falls in individuals who are 65 years of age or older is more than $3,250,000,000. Two-thirds of these costs occurred among individuals who were 75 years of age or older.
- The costs to the Medicare and Medicaid programs and society, as a whole, from falls by elderly persons continue to climb much faster than inflation and population growth. Direct costs alone will exceed $32,000,000,000 in 2020.
- The federal government should devote additional resources to research regarding the prevention and treatment of falls in residential, as well as institutional, settings.
- A national approach to reducing elderly falls, which focuses on the daily life of senior citizens in residential, institutional, and community settings, is needed. The approach should include a wide range of organizations and individuals including family members, healthcare providers, social workers, architects, employers and others.
- Reducing preventable adverse events, such as elderly falls is an important aspect to the agenda to improve patient safety.
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